RNLI Port Talbot children's Christmas party a social media sensation
Every year in recognition of the vital support our crews' families provide to our volunteer crew, RNLI Port Talbot host a children's Christmas party.
This support allows our volunteer crews to respond to the pager at a moment's notice, day or night, come rain or shine, 365 days of the year.
The event has become a Christmas tradition and a reminder to all families that at any point it can be brought to a sudden end by the sound of the pager. RNLI Port Talbot Lifeboat Operation Manager Clive Morris uses the test pager facility to set off the pagers simulating a real life emergency.
In the middle of the fun, food and entertainment the sound of jingle bells on the pager signals a very special person is in grave and potential danger requiring immediate rescue.
The highly trained volunteer crew, with skills honed during thousands of hours of training, spring into action to reports of a distress flare being sighted towards the North Pier and Small Side Beach. In big winter surf the shore crew skilfully and speedily launch the station's D-Class (Craig Morris), holding the lifeboat head to sea in readiness for the crew to jump on board on the signal from the helm.
Once safely and skilfully manoeuvred through the mountainous surf, radio communications alert the crew to a vital tasking of saving Christmas 2023, as Santa has ditched in the sea.
What is different this year is that our volunteer helm, is wearing a helmet mounted camera so the whole rescue can be replayed to children of our crew as a very unique reminder of their very special Christmas party.
What no one could predict in sharing this video on our RNLI Port Talbot Facebook page was that the video would become an internet sensation recording 48,200, views and still climbing on the crest of the winter waves .
While video is a vital publicity and training tool, normally for RNLI Port Talbot viewing numbers are considered a success when they reach 1000. So this tiny insight into the vital role of our volunteers truly is a Christmas gift to all our volunteers , family and supporters who's generous donation of time, and financial support make Saving lives at Sea possible.
A simple question as we reach the end of another year of Saving lives at sea what videos would you like to see from us in the New Year, please comment away.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.